"Starting Your Children’s Entertainment Business"

Recently I’ve been hounded by this guy asking me how to get started, what it takes to make a living, can I help him get started in the children’s entertainment business.

You can approach the children’s entertainment business in a pretty scientific way, it’s not that difficult. What’s tough is following through and not taking it personally. It’s just you and a microphone up there, tough not to take it personally.

Here’s the science part of this.

Are you taking workshops? If no, why not? You may live in an area with not a lot of workshops but you can drive an hour or two, I’m sure there are places to take classes.

When you take a workshop, you can find out what people are doing. They will all lie about how successful they are but so what, you can read between the lines and start to figure it out. You will make connections learn what to do and if you listen learn what not to do.

Are you taking every volunteer opportunity that is available? If now, why not? That means, a church a school, a fundraiser calls. Say yes and do it. You need to have lots and lots of stage time, you need experience. Here’s a promise, you will not have great experiences doing charities. You can ask almost any entertainer why they stop doing charitable work and it’s likely because of how we are treated. So prepare, you might be treated like “they help”, you will be told to do things you know are wrong (go stand over there and make your little balloons...but there’s no one over there). They will bring food for all the volunteers and not give you a sandwich. Oh well, do it anyway.

Look. If you wanted to write for the New York Times, you would follow the same approach. Go to a good college, get a master’s degree, take advanced courses to become a better writer and make connections. Work at small publications, write wherever, whenever, in order to get experience, when you’re ready, you can apply for the New York Times.

Are you contacting professionals and asking questions? If no. Why not? Learn how to do what I do. But here is the mistake new people make, don’t copy me, you won’t be able to and you’ll look like an idiot. My character is mine, Robin Williams character is his, you have a unique character, get on stage and find it. Doing my character will make you look like an amateur because it is fake. (to you, not me, I’m wonderful just ask my mom). You can learn from me by asking “How do you start a show?” “How do you gather a crowd?” “What do you do if the kids get out of control?” I can answer these questions, I’ve been doing this a long time. I’ll even give you ideas.

You also have to start working cheap. Don’t be greedy, time will come to be greedy. For me, I don’t know when that is, I am still here taking every job I can get.

Are you a gossip. If so, why? Don’t talk badly about other performers. Learn from them and they will give you work. I have an old clown friend, we rely on each other to get work. Old fashioned but it works. A big chunk of my income comes from other performers passing on my name.

So, when you have some experience. You have a show, you know how to control kids. You need nice photos. Why? Because I can tell exactly how good you are from your pose and your photo. I know what to look for, a customer in their sub conscience will see something is off. Do a nice photo, don’t copy anyone’s pose be your own funny self, make sure you have laughing eyes. My photos tell a story of a clown that loves what he does and kids will run up to and hug. You can get all this in a hundredth of a second. The old saying a picture is worth a thousand words is true.

Make a simple web site. Don’t copy every other clown and magician, they generally look terrible. Copy Coke, Ford, University of Nebraska any place that has good designers. Find a nice site, that grabs you and follow that lead. Trust your gut. Make a nice simple site. Again, don’t copy, just capture the feeling. Think of colors that represent you.

And just like that you’ll start booking things. You’ll be an overnight success in three years or so, because that’s about how long it takes. Or longer, hey, I’m still figuring it out.

But it’s fun and no matter how I fight, I can’t stop doing this for a living.